Poinsettia plant named ‘KLEW01064’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘KLEW01064’, characterized by its upright and uniform plant habit; dark green-colored leaves with purple-colored petioles; bright red-colored flower bracts; very early flowering habit; and good post-production longevity.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar KLEW01064.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘KLEW01064’.

The new Poinsettia is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new Poinsettia cultivars with attractive flowerbract coloration and uniform plant habit.

The new Poinsettia originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1996of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified ascode number K 72, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent, with aproprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as codenumber L52, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivarKLEW01064 was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 1998 as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Stuttgart, Germany. The selection of this plant was basedon its attractive flower bract coloration and uniform plant habit.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by vegetative terminalcuttings taken at Stuttgart, Germany since 1999, has shown that theunique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘KLEW01064’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘KLEW01064’ as a new and distinct Poinsettiacultivar:

1. Upright and uniform plant habit.

2. Dark green-colored leaves with purple-colored petioles.

3. Bright red-colored flower bracts.

4. Very early flowering; response time, about 6.5 weeks.

5. Good post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ from plants of the female parent,the selection K 72, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are not as vigorous as plants of theselection K 72.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Poinsettia are more lobed than leaves ofplants of the selection K 72.

3. Plants of the new Poinsettia have lighter red-colored flower bractsthan plants of the selection K 72.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ from plants of the male parent, theselection L 52, in the following chracteristics:

1. Plants of the new Poinsettia have darker green leaves than plants ofthe selection L 52.

2. Plants of the new Poinsettia have narrower leaves than plants of theselection L 52.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Fisson, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,365. In side-by-sidecomparisions conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of the newPoinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Fisson in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more vigorous than plants of thecultivar Fisson.

2. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about one week earlier thanplants of the cultivar Fisson.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Poinsettia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia. The photograph comprises a side perspective view ofa single flowering plant of ‘KLEW01064’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Stuttgart, Germany under commercial practice ina glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20 to 30°C. and night temperatures ranging from 16 to 20° C. Cuttings wereharvested in August and planted into 12-cm containers when rooted andpinched once. Plants were flowered under natural season short day/longnight conditions. Plants were about 15 weeks from unrooted cuttings whenthe photographs and the detailed botanical description were taken.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivarKLEW01064.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. identified as code number K 72, not patented.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. identified as code number L 52, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Vegetative terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 12 days at 22° C. Winter: About 15days at 22° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 20 days at 22° C.Winter: About 23 days at 22° C.

Root description.—Fibrous and freely-branching.

Plant description:

Growth habit.—Upright and uniform plant habit; inverted triangle; top ofplant somewhat rounded; vigorous.

Plant height.—About 25 to 30 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 to 35 cm.

Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About five to eightlateral branches develop after pinching. Length: About 20 cm. Diameter:About 5 to 10 mm. Internode length: About 2 to 5 cm. Texture: Smooth,glabrous. Color: 143C overlain with 183A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Quantity of leavesper lateral branch: About 8 to 15. Length: About 4 to 12 cm. Width:About 2 to 7 cm. Shape: Mostly ovate with irregular lobing. Apex: Acuteto acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire with irregular lobing.Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous,smooth. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 144B. Young foliage, lowersurface: 143C. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 139A. Fullyexpanded foliage, lower surface: 137B. Venation, upper surface: 139A.Venation, lower surface: 138B. Petiole: Length: About 3 to 5 cm.Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Texture: Glabrous, smooth. Color, upper andlower surfaces: 183A.

Inflorescence description:

Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound corymbs ofcyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the cyathia.Inflorescences not persistent.

Fragrance.—None detected.

Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter; flower initiation anddevelopment is induced under short day/long night conditions.

Response time.—Very early, about 6.5 weeks.

Post-production longevity.—Plants of the new Poinsettia maintain goodsubstance and bract color for about three to four weeks under interiorconditions and about four to five weeks under greenhouse conditions.

Quantity of inflorescences.—One per lateral branch; about five to eightper plant.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 15 to 20 cm. Height (depth): About 2to 5 cm.

Flower bracts.—Quantity of fully developed flower bracts perinflorescence: About six to eight. Length: About 6 to 9 cm. Width: About5 to 7 cm. Shape: Mostly ovate with lobing. Apex: Acute to acuminate.Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire with lobing. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Surface: Mostly flat. Color: Developingbracts, upper and lower surfaces: 45A to 45B. Fully developed bracts,upper surface: 44A; color does not fade with subsequent development.Fully developed bracts, lower surface: 47A. Venation, upper and lowersurfaces: Same as flower bracts. Bract petiole: Length: About 1 to 3 cm.Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Glabrous, smooth. Color: 183A.

Cyathia.—Quantity of cyathia per corymb: About three to six. Diameter ofcyathia cluster: About 1.5 to 2.5 cm. Length: About 4 to 7 mm. Diameter:About 3 to 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature and mature: 143C.

Nectaries.—Quantity of nectaries per cyanthium: One or two. Diameter:About 2 to 3 mm. Color: 13A to 14B.

Peduncle.—Length: About 1 to 2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect: Erect.Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Glabrous, smooth. Color: 144A to144B.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity of stamens per cyathium: About 5to 10. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 9Ato 12A. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 9A to 12A. Pistils:Quantity of pistils per cyathium: One. Pistil length: About 3 to 5 mm.Style length: About 2 to 3 mm. Stigma color: 185A.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common toPoinsettias has not been observed on plants grown under commercialconditions.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named